A couple who made false claims they got food poisoning while on holiday have avoided jail.

Leon Roberts and Jade Muzoka lied about being ill on a trip to Turkey, but were caught after investigators discovered photos of the pair - who are no longer together - lounging by the pool, drinking and eating dinner.

The two, who pleaded guilty to fraud at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court, have now been given a suspended prison sentence.

Their scam could have cost holiday firm TUI £50,000 had they been successful and not been caught out, a court previously heard.

Despite Leon and Jade discontinuing their claims before a penny was paid out, the company chose to prosecute them, Birmingham Live reports.

But after being warned by a judge that they face the real prospect of being jailed, the two have been spared a custodial sentence.

Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court was told how Roberts, 37, of Holbrook Road, Alvaston, and Muzoka, 27, of Stenson Road, Sinfin, spent a week at the luxury Cornelia Golf Resort and Spa, in Turkey, in July 2015.

Read More

The following April, the pair submitted claims through their solicitor saying they both fell ill during their time away.

But investigators found images of the pair on Facebook.

Tim Hunter, prosecuting on behalf of TUI, said: “The facts are that the couple enjoyed a holiday at the resort in July 2015. The holiday went ahead without incident with no complaints about any undue medical conditions.

“Their social media entries made it plain they’d had a good time.

“But in April of the following year they claimed for damages against TUI claiming they both suffered illness because of the food they consumed.

“That was false and they did it deliberately trying to make a benefit for themselves.”

Roberts and Muzoka, who have a child together, discontinued their claims at a later date.

(Image: Google)

Read More

But Mr Hunter said a claims investigator for TUI estimated that should the claim thought to a full conclusion the total loss to the firm could have been in the region of £50,000 or £25,000 for each of them.

However both Roberts’ and Muzoka’s defence solicitors refuted the figure would have been anywhere near as high as that and the case has been adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

Nicola Hunter, for Muzoka, said: “She was sick on holiday but just not to the extent that had been reported.

“She went back to work and reported it to one of her colleagues who said to her ‘do you realise you can claim for that (illness on holiday)?

“It was an exaggerated claim put forward by letter and they (TUI) checked by looking on Facebook and have seen there was evidence of two people that appeared to have a good holiday with no mention of having any illness.”